Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday welcomed the passage of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, in both Houses of Parliament. He described the bill as a landmark step that will promote e-sports while shielding society from the harmful effects of online money gaming.
The Rajya Sabha cleared the bill on Thursday, a day after its smooth passage in the Lok Sabha, despite protests from Opposition leaders.
In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi said, “This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money games.”
This Bill, passed by both Houses of Parliament, highlights our commitment towards making India a hub for gaming, innovation and creativity. It will encourage e-sports and online social games. At the same time, it will save our society from the harmful effects of online money… https://t.co/t1iUuH9JP1
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 21, 2025
What is the Online Gaming Bill, 2025?
The legislation, approved by the Union Cabinet earlier this week, aims to ban online money games and their advertisements, while allowing and promoting e-sports and social gaming. It also bars banks and financial institutions from processing transactions related to banned activities.
Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw, who introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, said it was necessary to act as many people were losing their life’s savings in online money gaming. “Our purpose of this bill has been ongoing for more than three years, during which we engaged deeply with the industry to understand how the harmful impact can be prevented, contained and reduced,” he told MPs.
Legal recognition to e-sports
In his own explainer on X, Vaishnaw said the bill grants legal recognition to e-sports and commits government support through new schemes and programmes. He stressed that online social games would be promoted as a safe and constructive way to interact and learn, with backing for game creators as part of India’s growing digital economy.
The government argued that while the industry points to thousands of crores of investments in online gaming, the social cost of online money games far outweighs the benefits.
The Rajya Sabha passed the bill after turning down changes suggested by the Opposition. The new law will bring stricter rules for the online gaming sector and penalise service providers, advertisers and money transfer platforms that support banned games.